Ordination Class of 2003

In February Father Edward J. Burns of the U.S. Bishops' Office on
Vocations asked if the Life Cycle Institute could assist the Committee on
Vocations on a survey of men ordained to the priesthood in 2003. I met with
Father Burns to design a questionnaire. In February Father Burns sent a short
questionnaire to each diocese and religious community asking if one of its staff
could list the names of the men ordained in 2003, and either complete an online
questionnaire on each or ask the men themselves to do so.

After some days of phoning and reminding, Father Burns achieved 348
completions by the March 31 deadline (306 ordinands to the diocesan priesthood
and 42 to the religious priesthood). A graduate student, Patrick Lynch, and I
computerized the data under Father Burns's direction.

The questionnaire asked eighteen questions about the ordinand's age,
background, education, work experience, activities, hobbies, recognitions, and
experience with vocation efforts. We continued using the codes we constructed in
2001 and 2002, for the sake of continuity.

One question asked for "principal full-time work experience," and since many
questionnaires listed more than one, we coded up to two per person. Below is a
summary of the questionnaires. All numbers are percentages unless noted.

TABLE 1: AGE

Diocesan

Religious

All

27

7

25

Percent 25-29

27

24

27

Percent 30-34

18

17

18

Percent 35-39

20

33

22

Percent 40-49

5

12

6

Percent 50-59

3

7

4

Percent 60+

36.2

41.3

36.8

Mean Age

NOTE: A total of 305, 42, and 347 ordinands,
respectively, responded. The percentages shown are of these numbers and add up
to 100% within a column.

TABLE 2: RACE

Diocesan

Religious

All

70

55

68

European American

15

7

14

Hispanic or Latino

8

29

11

Asian of Pacific Islander

1

2

1

African-American

6

7

6

Other

NOTE: A total of 303, 42, and 345 ordinands, respectively, responded. The
percentages shown are of these numbers and add up to 100% within a column.

Table 2 shows that 14 percent of the ordinands are Hispanics (Latinos), a
figure higher than in recent years. For example, a 1984 nationwide survey of
Catholic seminarians (Hemrick and Hoge, 1987) found that 7 percent were
Hispanic. Still the figure is lower than the percent Hispanic in the total U.S.
Catholic population today (estimated at 25 to 30 percent).

Table 2 also shows that 11 percent are Asian or Pacific Islanders, a figure
higher than the percent in the total U.S. Catholic population (an estimated 2 to
3 percent; see Davidson, et al., 1997, p. 161). Also, only one percent is
African-American, which is lower than the percentage of African-Americans in the
U.S. Catholic population (estimated at 3 to 4 percent; see Davidson, et al., p.
159).

TABLE 3: COUNTRY OF BIRTH

Diocesan

Religious

All

73

60

72

USA

0

2

*

Canada

1

5

2

West Europe

1

2

1

Central America

2

0

2

Africa

3

0

2

Poland

1

0

1

Ireland

3

19

5

Vietnam

4

5

4

Phillippines

1

0

1

Korea

7

0

6

Mexico

1

0

1

Colombia

1

2

1

Caribbean, Puerto Rico

1

0

1

Peru

2

5

2

Other countries

NOTE: A total of 306, 42, and 348 ordinands, respectively, responded. The
percentages shown are of these numbers and add up to 100% within a column.

* Less than ½ percent.

Table 3 tells us that only 72 percent of the ordinands were born in the U.S.,
and 28 percent were born outside. When this research began in 1998, the figure
was 24 percent. The percentage born outside the U.S. has risen. The two
principal countries of birth are Vietnam and Mexico.

TABLE 4HIGHEST EDUCATION BEFORE ENTERING
SEMINARY

Diocesan

Religious

All

1

5

2

Elementary

20

12

19

High School

5

5

5

Trade/Technical

45

38

44

Undergraduate

29

41

30

Graduate

NOTE: A total of 305, 42, and 347 ordinands, respectively, responded. The
percentages shown are of these numbers and add up to 100% within a column.

TABLE 5ANY CATHOLIC EDUCATION?

Diocesan

Religious

All

66

74

67

Percent who attending Catholic elementary
school

55

52

55

Percent who attended Catholic high
school

60

48

58

Percent who attended Catholic
college

NOTE: A total of 229, 31, and 260 ordinands, respectively, mentioned any
Catholic education. The percentages shown are of these numbers and do not
incorporate those ordinands who did not mention any Catholic education. The
percentages of all ordinands (348) are 50, 41, and 44, respectively.

The levels of Catholic schooling are much higher for the ordinands (Table 5)
than is true of the total U.S. Catholic population. For example, in a 1993
nationwide Gallup survey, 54 percent of Catholics 54 or younger reported that
they had attended Catholic elementary school and 26 percent said they had
attended Catholic high school. The percent 35 to 54 years old who had attended
Catholic college was only 10. (See D'Antonio, et al., 1996, p. 71.)

TABLE 6PRINCIPAL FULL-TIME WORK EXPERIENCE

Diocesan

Religious

All

16

15

16

Educator: teacher, administrator,
guidance

6

8

6

Skilled or unskilled labor

7

5

6

Sales, real estate

3

3

3

Church ministry: parish admin., relig.
educator

7

10

8

Manager, supervisor, high govt. official

9

5

9

Banking, finance, broker, accountant

9

8

8

Engineer, computer programmer

4

0

3

Military

4

3

3

Scientific assistant, technician

5

5

5

Nursing, phys. therapist, paramedic

2

5

2

Clerk, bank teller

2

8

2

Attorney

3

0

2

Govt. worker

3

0

3

Artist, musician, photographer

2

0

2

Counselor, psychologist

1

3

1

Social worker

2

0

2

Legal assistant, paralegal

1

0

1

Scientist

2

3

2

Reporter, editor, writer

1

3

1

Physician, dentist

12

20

13

Other

NOTE: Only 203, 30, and 233 ordinands, respectively, mentioned full-time work
experiences. Some mentioned more than one, so we coded up to two experiences.
The percentages shown are of the total work experiences reported which were 246,
40, and 286, respectively. Percentages add up to 100% within a column.

TABLE 7HOBBIES AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Diocesan

Religious

All

34

38

35

Running

31

23

30

Cycling

35

28

35

Hiking

29

31

29

Camping

51

44

51

Sports

79

77

78

Reading

28

41

29

Writing

68

54

66

Movies

34

33

34

Theater

13

8

13

Opera

26

26

26

Play a musical instrument

7

13

7

Acting

58

62

58

Exercise

24

18

23

Fishing

29

36

30

Cooking

8

3

7

Hunting

8

10

8

Painting

53

59

54

Music

26

33

27

Volunteering

5

5

5

Sailing

7

3

7

Woodworking

27

26

27

Other

NOTE: A total of 303, 39, and 342 ordinands, respectively, mentioned hobbies.
The percentages shown are of these numbers and do not incorporate those
ordinands who did not mention any hobbies.

TABLE 8ACADEMIC RECOGNITIONS

Diocesan

Religious

All

16

16

16

Summa Cum Laude

30

28

30

Magna Cum Laude

6

8

6

Valedictorian

3

0

3

Salutatorian

72

60

71

Dean's List

6

0

5

Phi Beta Kappa

37

44

38

Other Honor Society

NOTE: A total of 199, 25, and 224 ordinands, respectively, mentioned academic
recognitions. The percentages shown are of these numbers and do not incorporate
those ordinands who did not mention any academic recognitions. The percentages
of all ordinands (348) are 10, 19, 4, 2, 46, 3, and 24, respectively.

TABLE 9STATE/NATIONAL AWARDS OR
RECOGNITIONS

Diocesan

Religious

All

29

55

36

Academic Honor Roll/Dean's List

15

18

16

National Honor Society

9

9

9

National Merit Scholar

47

18

40

Other

NOTE: A total of 34, 11, and 45 ordinands, respectively, mentioned
state/national awards or recognitions. The percentages shown are of these
numbers and add up to 100% within a column. They do not incorporate those
ordinands who did not mention any state/national awards or recognitions. The
percentages of all ordinands (348) are 5, 2, 1, and 5, respectively.

TABLE 10ORGANIZED SPORTS TEAMS IN HIGH
SCHOOL OR COLLEGE

Diocesan

Religious

All

"YES" TO ORGANIZED SPORTS:

54

46

53

High School

22

26

23

College

SPECIFIC SPORTS TEAMS:

21

12

20

Baseball

9

0

8

Golf

31

6

28

Football

31

59

34

Basketball

29

29

29

Soccer

8

0

8

Wrestling

34

24

33

Track and Field

1

6

1

Lacrosse

10

12

11

Tennis

12

24

13

Swimming

NOTE: A total of 301, 39, and 340 ordinands responded to the question of high
school sports, and 293, 39, and 332 ordinands responded to the question of
college sports, respectively. A total of 154, 17, and 171 ordinands,
respectively, mentioned specific sports teams. The percentages shown are of
these numbers and do not incorporate those ordinands who did not mention any
organized sports teams or activity.

TABLE 11SERVICE IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED
FORCES

Diocesan

Religious

All

ORDINANDS:

10

50

13

Army

3

50

6

Reserves

33

0

31

Navy

7

0

6

National Guard

40

50

41

Air Force

10

0

9

Marines

FATHERS OF ORDINANDS:

26

33

27

Army

4

0

4

Reserves

43

0

38

Navy

22

33

23

National Guard

9

33

12

Air Force

NOTE: A total of 30, 2, and 32 ordinands, mentioned their own military
service, and a total of 23, 3, and 26 ordinands, mentioned their fathers'
military service, respectively. The percentages shown are of these numbers and
do not incorporate those ordinands who did not mention any military service.
Ordinands may have selected more than one military branch. (Ordinands specified
only fathers as having served in the military.) The percentages of all (348)
ordinands are 1, 1, 3, 1, 4, and 1 for their own military service, and 2, less
than ½, 3, 2, and 1 for their fathers' military service, respectively.

TABLE 12VOCATION EFFORTS YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED

Diocesan

Religious

All

VOCATION PROGRAMS:

2

0

2

Traveling Cup/Cross Program

13

16

13

Grade School or CCD Vocation programs

5

0

4

Operation Andrew

12

11

12

High school vocations programs

40

42

40

Come and See Weekends

18

13

18

Parish vocation programs

PARISH PROGRAMS:

66

57

65

Eucharistic minister

36

49

38

Youth minister

73

73

73

Altar server

67

73

68

Lector

22

22

22

Parish council

53

22

50

Knights of Columbus

10

3

9

Men's Club

21

19

21

Boy Scouts

6

8

6

Serra Club

5

0

5

Eagle Scouts

5

11

6

Rosary Society

13

3

11

St. Vincent de Paul Society

19

11

18

Right to Life

47

38

46

Devotions

59

68

60

Retreats

NOTE: A total of 298, 38, and 336 ordinands, mentioned vocation programs, and
294, 37, and 331 mentioned parish programs, respectively. The percentages shown
are of these numbers and do not incorporate those ordinands who did not mention
any vocation efforts.

TABLE 13WHO INITIATED A CONVERSATION WITH
YOUABOUT CONSIDERING THE PRIESTHOOD?

Diocesan

Religious

All

80

59

78

Priest

9

9

9

Religious Brother

16

9

16

Religious Sister

3

3

3

Youth Minister

26

26

26

Friend

14

9

14

Parishioner

8

6

8

Teacher

12

18

12

Seminarian

4

0

3

Deacon

1

0

1

Military Chaplain

15

12

15

Mother

9

12

9

Father

2

0

2

Grandfather

6

3

6

Grandmother

NOTE: A total of 273, 34, and 307 ordinands, respectively, mentioned
conversations with individuals. The percentages shown are of these numbers and
do not incorporate those ordinands who did not mention any conversations.
Ordinands may have selected more than one individual.

TABLE 14ADVERTISING TECHNIQUES WHICH WERE
INSTRUMENTAL FOR YOU

Diocesan

Religious

All

30

43

31

Advertisements

7

5

6

Billboards

43

10

38

Posters

17

24

18

Websites

49

62

50

Pamphlets

4

10

5

Radio Ads

11

14

11

TV Ads

44

52

45

Magazines

30

38

31

Newsletters

12

24

14

E-mails

28

19

26

Videos

NOTE: A total of 138, 21, and 159 ordinands, respectively, mentioned
advertising techniques. The percentages shown are of these numbers and do not
incorporate those ordinands who did not mention any advertising techniques. The
percentages of all ordinands (348) are 14, 3, 18, 8, 23, 2, 5, 21, 14, 6, and
12, respectively.

We found three changes in the ordinands since the research began in 1998.
First, the average age at ordination rose from 34.8 to 36.8 years. Second, the
level of education prior to entering seminary rose. Whereas in 1998, 30 percent
had less than a B.A. or B.S. degree, in the 2003 sample it was only 21 percent.
Correspondingly, the percentage who had received a Masters Degree or
professional degree beyond the B.A. rose from 13 to 30. This is a notable change
in only five years. Third, the percentage born outside the U.S. rose from 24 to
28 percent. The two principal countries of birth today are Vietnam and Mexico,
in agreement with past studies.

The 2003 questionnaire included a series of questions asking the ordinands
about their own experiences with vocation programs. (See Tables 12, 13 and 14.)
The vocation encouragement most often remembered was personal contact,
especially by a priest, friend, or seminarian. Second most common were retreat
programs. Most of the ordinands have a history of activity in parishes (see
Table 12), and the form of activity was usually as altar servers, lectors, and
Eucharistic ministers. Of various methods in use to encourage vocations, the
most effective are pamphlets and magazines (Table 14).

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